https://arab.news/83thw
- Nick Cassidy and Envision Racing go into the 2023 GulaVit Jakarta E-Prix on top after overcoming Porsche’s early-season dominance
- Huge Indonesian fanbase will see the GEN3 race car in action for the first time
JAKARTA: Formula E returns to Jakarta this weekend with Nick Cassidy and his Envision Racing team both leading the ABB FIA Formula World Championship standings after powering past long-time leader Pascal Wehrlein and his TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team last time out in Monaco.
Following the championship’s debut in Indonesia last season and the huge welcome from fans who packed the area around the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit in Ancol Beach, the 2023 Gulavit Jakarta E-Prix has expanded to a double-header with Rounds 10 and 11 taking place June 3-4.
Indonesia is home to 273 million people and is a huge contingent of motorsport fans who made last year’s debut the most-watched live race by a domestic audience in Formula E history.
This year, fans will see the Southeast Asia debut of the GEN3, the fastest, and most efficient electric race car built yet. They will also be hoping for more twists in the storyline of this season’s gripping championship following Kiwi Cassidy’s storming drive from ninth on the grid in Monaco to win the race and go top of the standings.
Cassidy led home Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) and was under severe duress from his countryman and factory Jaguar driver until a late-race Safety Car made the win certain.
That victory leaves Cassidy on 121 pts, 20 clear of TAG Heuer Porsche’s long-time leader Wehrlein in the Drivers’ table.
Wehrlein had led the way from Rounds 2 and 3 in Diriyah but a downturn in form for the German has opened the door to the Jaguar-powered Envision and the factory Jaguar TCS Racing outfit, spearheaded by Evans — last year’s winner in Indonesia.
Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) is in third place in the standings on 96 points following a return to form in Monaco with third place in the race. Evans is just two points back on 94 pts.
In the Teams’ standings, Envision Racing has leapt to the top on 182 pts, 14 pts ahead of TAG Heuer Porsche on 169 pts, while Jaguar TCS Racing sits third on 156 pts.
Saturday’s race will be 36 laps and 38 laps on Sunday’s race, meaning teams and drivers will need to adjust their race strategies across the double-header weekend.